Method and apparatus for detecting a type of stencil and controlling thermal perforation energy thereby

Abstract

A plate making device and method, wherein when a light sensor detects that the stencil plate inserted into the plate making device is provided with the through hole, the controller supplies a current to the thermal head for T1 seconds to control the heat time to be short, so that the perforation energy of the thermal head is reduced. On the other hand, when the light sensor detects that the stencil plate has no through hole, the controller supplies a current to the thermal head for T2 seconds longer than T1 seconds to control the heat time to be long, so that the perforation energy of the thermal head is increased. In this device, even when any type of stencil plate is used, the plate making process providing the best print quality for each stencil plate can be performed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A plate making device, comprising: a stencil plate, the stencil plate being one of at least two types, each type having a unique identifying feature and comprising an ink impermeable layer, a frame, a non-woven cloth impregnated with ink, and a heat sensitive stencil paper;   heat-perforating means for thermally perforating the heat sensitive stencil paper of the stencil plate according to a desired image;   detecting means for detecting the type of the stencil plate based on the unique identifying feature; and   controlling means for controlling perforation energy of said heat-perforating means in accordance with the detected type of the stencil plate.   
     
     
       2. The plate making device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means discriminates which of the at least two types of stencil plate is present in accordance with the unique identifying feature comprising at least one of an existence and number of apertures in the stencil plate. 
     
     
       3. The plate making device according to claim 1, wherein the frame surrounds the non-woven cloth, and the ink impermeable layer and the heat sensitive stencil paper sandwich the non-woven cloth and the frame therebetween. 
     
     
       4. The plate making device according to claim 3, wherein the heat sensitive stencil paper is formed of a film of material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer having a thickness of about 1-4 μm. 
     
     
       5. The plate making device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first shaft fixed to the plate making device;   a second shaft;   a third shaft;   a heat-perforating means holder supporting said heat-perforating means, said heat-perforating means holder being rotatable about said first shaft;   a spring fixed to said heat-perforating means holder and urging said heat-perforating means holder toward a heat-perforating means engagement position;   a feeding roller movable with rotation of said heat-perforating means holder, said feeding roller fixed to a roller holder, said roller holder being rotatable about said second shaft and comprising a pin; and   a paper gate rotatably supported by said third shaft, said pin engaging said paper gate, said heat-perforating means holder engaging said roller holder such that rotation of said heat-perforating means holder causes said roller holder to rotate in synchronism with said heat-perforating means holder, and wherein said pin urges said paper gate to clear a feeding path for the stencil plate.   
     
     
       6. The plate making device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a light sensor having a light irradiating unit and a light receiving unit. 
     
     
       7. The plate making device according to claim 6, wherein said controlling means comprises a CPU operatively coupled with said light sensor, said CPU controlling the perforation energy in accordance with a signal from the light sensor. 
     
     
       8. A plate making device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a switch movable between at least a first position and a second position in accordance with the presence of the unique identifying feature comprising a projection on said stencil plate. 
     
     
       9. The plate making device according to claim 1, wherein the type of the stencil plate is differentiated by a kind of the ink impregnating the non-woven cloth. 
     
     
       10. The plate making device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-dryness ink stencil plate and a high-dryness ink stencil plate, and wherein when said detecting means detects the low-dryness ink stencil plate, said controlling means supplies current to said heat-perforating means for a first predetermined time, and when said detecting means detects the high-dryness ink stencil plate, said controlling means supplies current to said heat-perforating means for a second predetermined time shorter than the first predetermined time. 
     
     
       11. The plate making device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-viscosity ink stencil plate and high-viscosity ink stencil plate, and when the detecting means detects the low-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controlling means supplies current to the heat-perforating means for a first predetermined time, and when the detecting means detects the high-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controlling means supplies current to the heat-perforating means for a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time. 
     
     
       12. A plate making device, comprising: a stencil plate, the stencil plate being one of at least two types, each type having a unique identifying feature and comprising an ink impermeable layer, a frame, a non-woven cloth impregnated with ink, and a heat sensitive stencil paper;   a thermal head that perforates the heat sensitive stencil paper of the stencil plate according to a desired image;   a detector that detects the type of the stencil plate; and   a controller operatively coupled to said detector and said thermal head, said controller controlling operation and perforation energy of said thermal head in accordance with a signal from said detector.   
     
     
       13. The plate making device according to claim 12, wherein the frame surrounds the non-woven cloth, and the ink impermeable layer and the heat sensitive stencil paper sandwich the non-woven cloth and the frame therebetween. 
     
     
       14. The plate making device according to claim 13, wherein the heat sensitive stencil paper is formed of a film of material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer having a thickness of about 1-4 μm. 
     
     
       15. The plate making device according to claim 12, further comprising: a first shaft fixed to the plate making device;   a second shaft;   a third shaft;   a head holder supporting said thermal head, said head holder being rotatable about said first shaft;   a spring fixed to said head holder and urging said head holder toward a thermal head engagement position;   a feeding roller movable with rotation of said head holder, said feeding roller fixed to a roller holder, said roller holder being rotatable about said second shaft and comprising a pin; and   a paper gate rotatably supported by said third shaft, said pin engaging said paper gate, said head holder engaging said roller holder such that rotation of said head holder causes said roller holder to rotate in synchronism with said head holder, and wherein said pin urges said paper gate to clear a feeding path for the stencil plate.   
     
     
       16. The plate making device according to claim 12, wherein said detector comprises a light sensor having a light irradiating unit and a light receiving unit. 
     
     
       17. The plate making device according to claim 16, wherein said controller comprises a CPU operatively coupled with said light sensor, said CPU controlling said perforation energy in accordance with the signal from said light sensor. 
     
     
       18. The plate making device according to claim 10, wherein said detector discriminates between the at least two types of stencil plate in accordance with the unique identifying feature comprising at least one of an existence and number of apertures in the stencil plate. 
     
     
       19. A plate making device according to claim 12, wherein said detector comprises a switch movable between at least a first position and a second position in accordance with the presence of the unique identifying feature comprising a projection on said stencil plate. 
     
     
       20. The plate making device according to claim 12, wherein the type of the stencil plate is differentiated by a kind of the ink impregnating the non-woven cloth. 
     
     
       21. The plate making device according to claim 20, wherein the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-dryness ink stencil plate and a high-dryness ink stencil plate, and wherein when said detector detects the low-dryness ink stencil plate, said controller supplies current to said thermal head for a first predetermined time, and when said detector detects the high-dryness ink stencil plate, said controller supplies current to said thermal head for a second predetermined time shorter than said first predetermined time. 
     
     
       22. The plate making device according to claim 29, wherein the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-viscosity ink stencil plate and high-viscosity ink stencil plate, and when the detector detects the low-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controller supplies current to the heat-perforating means for a first predetermined time, and when if the detector detects the high-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controller supplies current to the heat-perforating means for a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time. 
     
     
       23. A method of forming a stencil plate having a heat sensitive stencil paper for a stamp device, the method comprising: thermally perforating the heat sensitive stencil paper of the stencil plate according to a desired image;   detecting a type of the stencil plate; and   controlling perforation energy in said thermal perforating step in accordance with the type of the stencil plate.   
     
     
       24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the type of the stencil plate comprises at least two types of stencil plate, said detecting step comprising discriminating which one of the at least two types of stencil plate is present in accordance with at least one of an existence and number of apertures in the stencil plate. 
     
     
       25. The method according to claim 23, wherein said detecting step comprises detecting light with a light sensor having a light irradiating unit and a light receiving unit. 
     
     
       26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said controlling step comprises controlling the perforation energy in accordance with a signal from said light sensor. 
     
     
       27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the type of the stencil plate comprises at least two types of stencil plate comprising a low-dryness ink stencil plate and a high-dryness ink stencil plate, and wherein when said detecting step detects the low-dryness ink stencil plate, said controlling step comprises supplying current in said thermal perforating step for a first predetermined time, and when said detecting step detects the high-dryness ink stencil plate, said controlling step comprises supplying current in said heat-perforating step for a second predetermined time shorter than the first predetermined time. 
     
     
       28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the type of the stencil plate is one of at least two types of the stencil plate, the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-viscosity ink stencil plate and high-viscosity ink stencil plate, and when the detecting step detects the low-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controlled perforation energy is supplied for a first predetermined time, and when the detecting step detects the high-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controlled perforation energy is supplied for a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time. 
     
     
       29. A plate making device, comprising: a stencil plate, the stencil plate being one of at least two types, each type having a unique identifying feature and comprising an ink impermeable layer, a frame, a non-woven cloth impregnated with ink and a heat sensitive stencil paper;   heat-perforating means for thermally perforating the heat sensitive stencil paper of the stencil plate according to a desired image;   signal providing means for providing a signal representing the type of the stencil plate; and   controlling means for controlling perforation energy of said heat-perforating means in accordance with the type of the stencil plate.   
     
     
       30. The plate making device according to claim 29, wherein the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-dryness ink stencil plate and a high-dryness ink stencil plate, wherein when said signal providing means provides a signal representing the low-dryness ink stencil plate, said controlling means supplies current to said heat-perforating means for a first predetermined time, and when said signal providing means provides a signal representing the high-dryness ink stencil plate, said controlling means supplies current to said heat-perforating means for a second predetermined time shorter than the first predetermined time. 
     
     
       31. The plate making device according to claim 29, wherein the non-woven cloth impregnated with ink is disposed at a central portion of the frame and supported between the ink impermeable layer and the heat sensitive stencil paper. 
     
     
       32. The plate making device according to claim 31, wherein the type of the stencil plate is differentiated by a kind of the ink impregnating the non-woven cloth. 
     
     
       33. The plate making device according to claim 29, wherein the at least two types of stencil plate comprise a low-viscosity ink stencil plate and high-viscosity ink stencil plate, and said signal providing means further comprises detecting means for detecting the type of the stencil plate, when the detecting means detects the low-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controlling means supplies current to the heat-perforating means for a first predetermined time, and when the detecting means detects the high-viscosity ink stencil plate, the controlling means supplies current to the heat-perforating means for a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time.